Posted on 02/13/2003 3:58:26 AM PST by from occupied ga
Atlanta, Wednesday, February 12) -- The HB197 Stealth Triggerlock bill passed the Georgia House Judiciary Committee yesterday.
A key vote on the Self-Defense amendment to protect your right to keep guns ready for self-defense has been delayed until HB197 reaches the floor of the House. That could happen as early as Fri. morning Feb. 14.
The anti-gunners pushing HB197 panicked Monday after it looked like gun owners might pass the Self-Defense amendment in committee.
Rep. Wendell Willard (R-Dunwoody), the front man for HB197, went running to House Republican leaders to complain Rep. Warren Massey (R-Winder) was bringing too much heat on Republican members of the Judiciary Committee.
Mr. Massey withdrew from sponsoring the Self-Defense amendment yesterday. Many gun owners were disappointed. HB197 then quickly passed the committee by a vote of 18 to 1, with only Rep. Pam Stephenson (D-Lithonia) voting against it she said because the committee stripped out an exception for victims of domestic violence.
House Pro-Gun Leader Bobby Franklin (R-Marietta) will offer the Self-Defense amendment to HB197 directly from the floor when it comes before the full House.
That could happen as early as Fri. morning Feb 14.
CSG Legislative Director Bill Phillips helped manage the HB197 debate Monday in committee. He said, "Rep. Massey carried the ball for gun owners as far as he could. He forced the anti-gunners to make two big mistakes:
1. They admitted HB197 is a stealth triggerlock bill: you'll have to lock up your gun so it's not ready for self-defense or else face going to jail.
2. They showed they're scared witless of the Self-Defense amendment to HB197 because it guts their Stealth Triggerlock scheme."
The Self-Defense amendment to HB197 says "keeping or storing a firearm in such a manner that it is unlocked or otherwise ready for immediate use in self-defense shall not be considered criminal negligence."
The CSG Legislative Director added, "House Pro-Gun Leader Rep. Bobby Franklin is chomping at the bit to force a vote on the Self-Defense amendment so gun owners can know how their Reps. stand on this vital issue. Bobby couldn't do it before because he wasn't on the committee. Now the bill is out of committee, and he can take charge on the floor."
Rep. Franklin said passing the Self-Defense amendment depends on one thing: you putting pressure on your own state Rep. to vote right.
If HB197 becomes law without the Self-Defense amendment, anti-gun officials could come to your home or in your car, arrest you, and confiscate your guns if they're not locked up.
It's crucial you call the office of your state Representative(s) as soon as possible and leave a message saying vote for the Self-Defense amendment to HB197.
Meanwhile, the NRA is still on the sidelines. They're scared anti-gunners will claim they're against children. The NRA lobbyist told the House Judiciary Committee the NRA is neither for the bill nor against it. Of course anti-gunners are saying "the NRA is not opposed to HB197" which is only half the truth.
You need to act to defend your right to keep and bear arms. What happened in committee earlier this week is history. You need to call again. Contact the office of your own State Rep. as soon as possible and leave a message saying vote for the Self-Defense amendment to HB197.
ACTION ITEMS
For anyone who thinks that Republicans are pro-gun, particularly the Republican leadership, just look at the Republican sell out to the anti-gunners. They are just as anti-gun as Democrats - even here in the supposedly conservative south.
And, once again, the NRA sits this one out, but at least we have their reason now.
My prediction is that this will make it out of the House without the amendment, and we'll have to block it in the Senate. I hope I'm proven wrong.
The only way to stop it is to put enough pressure on your legislators to make them see the light. At least there are still some people in GA who care about this sort of thing, unlike NJ or NY or CA or MA or MD or DC where the majority of the population hates and fears freedom so much that they want to be slaves.
Re: HB 197 - please support the Self Defense Amendment
Dear [HouseRep]:
I write to request that you *not* vote to pass HB 197, without the Self Defense Amendment. Please do support this amendment.
This bill as currently written is a stealth triggerlock bill that, in the hands of a malicious anti-gun prosecutor, could be used to criminalize law-abiding gun owners who keep firearms for self defense. This "in the dark of the night", stealth anti-gun legislation has no place in our state.
The Self Defense Amendment would clarify this vaguely worded legislation in an appropriate way to ensure law-abiding Georgians would not potentially be criminalized by a bad law.
I look forward to seeing your support on this.
Sincerely,
[FP]
I am a suscriber to Ga outdoor magazine. I'm very surprised they have no mention of this bill in the last issue.
You're right, although GON usually does a good job with keeping up with legislation.
Sure get weary of having to keep these lunkheads in line all the time!
It is my understanding that this bill was not prefiled, but dropped in at the last minute after SB1 was killed in the Senate to avoid alerting gun owners. No way a magazine could have caught it.
It used to be that the Senate was the stronghold of the anti-gunners and the House was more pro-gun. This session it's the reverse.
I bid you well on this fight. This trigger lock bill is a very bad law that destroys your 2nd Amendment rights. I will offer a prayer on your behalf.
Boortz will only get worked up if he
Lest anyone think that this isn't a gun control bill remember this quote fro the sow who cosponsored this bill , Mary Margaret Oliver,
"Mr. Chairman, the Massey amendment means we won't be able to prosecute ANYBODY for having an unlocked gun."Yep, you loathsome sack of sh!t, that's right. You won't be able to use it for gun control if the Massey amendment passes.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.